CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS

Correlative conjunctions are conjunctions that come in pairs. Like their name, they correlate or work
in pairs to join phrases or words that carry equal importance within sentence. They relate two
different nouns/noun phrase, adjectives or actions.

Correlative conjunctions include pairs like:

either … or …
It is used to connect items which has the same grammatical type, word and word, phrase and phrase,
clause and clause. It is also used when you are making a comparison between two ideas, and only
one of the ideas will come to pass.

The pattern of correlative conjunction either … or …

singular noun singular noun
subject verb either plural noun or plural noun

or

either singular noun or singular noun singular/plural verb

plural noun plural noun

For example:
1. We can go to either Japan or South Korea for our holiday.

We go either Japan or South Korea

subject verb either singular noun or singular noun

The sentence above is connecting words, Japan & South Korea. At the end only one country the “we”
will go to for holiday, it could be Japan or South Korea.

2. Either Juan or his wife makes breakfast every morning.

Either Juan or His wife makes

either singular noun or singular noun singular verb

The sentence above is connecting words, Juan and his wife. So, sometimes it is Juan who makes
breakfast, and the other morning it is his wife who makes breakfast. however, they are not making
breakfast together.
neither … nor …
Neither indicates that the two ideas are linked together. It connects two negative alternatives (things
that are not true or that do not happen). However, if you use neither, then make sure your sentence
does not have any other negatives preceding it (do not use “not” if you use neither/nor).

The pattern of correlative conjunction neither … nor …

singular noun singular noun
subject verb neither plural noun nor plural noun

or
 neither singular noun nor singular noun singular/plural verb
plural noun plural noun

For example:
1. My brother wants neither the cheesecake nor the chocolate cake.

My wants the cheesecake nor the chocolate cake

brother neither
subject verb neither singular noun nor singular noun

The sentence above means The brother does not want the cheesecake and he also does not want
chocolate cake.

2. Neither Naufal nor Aldi is going to the museum today.

Neither Naufal nor Aldi is going

neither singular noun nor singular noun singular verb

The sentence above means, Naufal does not go to the museum today and Aldi also does not go to the
museum today too. No one among Naufal and Aldi is going to the museum today.
both … and …
It is used to emphasize that each of two things is true. Moreover, what follows both and what
follows and should have the same grammatical form.

The pattern of correlative conjunction both … and …

noun noun
subject verb/be both adjective and adjective
adverb adverb

For example:
I need both fine brown sugar and powdered sugar to make a Hawaiian cake.

I need both fine brown sugar and powdered sugar

subject verb both noun and noun

In the example above, “both...and” is used as a conjunction relating two noun phrases (fine brown
sugar and powdered sugar = same grammatical form). It also means that fine brown sugar and
powdered sugar are needed, not only one of them, but all of them.
not only … but also …
It is used to present two related pieces of information. That information being presented as
something that make you surprise or unexpected. Usually the second information is being even more
surprising than the first information.

The pattern of correlative conjunction not only … but also …

noun noun
subject verb/be not only adjective but also adjective
adverb adverb
For example:
 Naufal writes not only correctly but also neatly.

Naufal writes not only correctly but also neatly

subject verb not only adverb but also adverb

There are two information related to Naufal, first that he writes correctly and the second one is that
he writes neatly. The most important rule to remember about using not only/but also is that the
first and second information must have the same grammatical type. Both first (correctly) and
second information (neatly) above are adverbs.

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EXERCISE OF CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS

Part A: List the correlative conjunctions in the following paragraph and write the elements that
correlate. One has been done for you as an example.

Thirty years ago, people knew about neither spaceship nor astronauts. They were fascinated by
machines called automobiles and they were nervous about flying in airplanes. Gradually, both
automobiles and airplanes become commonplace. The coming of jets caused a small sensation,
but soon people got used to them too. Today, we are accustomed not only to satellites being
launched from the earth and put into orbit, but also to astronauts spending several days in
space. Astronauts have even landed on the moon. Parents of the past worried about airplanes.
Parents of today may either have to accept space travel for their children or make themselves
and their children unhappy.

No. Correlative Conjunctions What correlate? Things connected

1. neither … nor … nouns Spaceship, astronauts

Part B: Identify whether the sentences below are using the correlative conjunctions correctly or
not. Explain why.

Example:

Sentence Correct or not Reason

I need both fine brown sugar and correct The sentence is using the pairs of
 powdered sugar to make a Hawaiian cake. correlative conjunction both –
and correctly.

No. Sentence Correct or not Reason

1. Neither the security guard or the police
was able to capture the arson.
2. The robbers stole not only the gold and
the dollar bills.
3. Putri both plays piano and compose
music.
4. Either the manager or the boss was
talking on the phone.
5. The teacher neither knew nor heard
about the news.

Part C: Choose the correct option for each sentence.

1. Writers like William Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe are ______ prolific but also interesting.
a. both
b. and
c. not only
d. neither
e. either
2. _____ plants and animals could not live in this place.
a. neither
b. either
c. both
d. not only
e. nor
3. The group will visit _______ a dairy farm or a tea plantation.
a. neither
b. either
c. both
d. not only
e. but also
4. Neither My sister ______ my mother visited a famous dermatologist yesterday.
a. or
b. nor
c. and
d. but also
e. not only
5. The actress was _________ successful, ________ well-known.
a. neither – nor
b. either – or
c. not only – but also
d. both – and
e. but – also